Folding table.



No. 766,988. PATBNTED AUG 9, 1904.

F. BUBROWES.

FOLDING TABLE.

APPLICATION TILED MAR. 20, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 2 BEBET8-BHBET l.

P. M. BURROWES.

FOLDING TABLE.

APPLIOATION rum) M11. 20, 1903.

no MODEL.

PATENTED AUG. 9, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES Patented August 9, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE...

FRANK M. BURROWES, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, ASSIGNOR TO FDVVARD "ll.

BURROVVES, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

FOLDING TABLE...

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 766,988, dated August9, 1904, Application filed March 20, 1903. Serial No. 148,765. (Nomodel.)

To (0% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK M. Bnnnowns, a citizen of the United States,residing at Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine,have invented certain new and use-- ful Improvements in Folding Tables,of which the following is a specification, reference being had thereinto the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved folding table or stand, and hasfor its primary objcct the provision of an article of this char acterwhich may be collapsed into compact form to occupy the least possiblespace when not in use and to facilitate packing of the same formarket.

The invention comprehends a structure comprising a frame, a coveringsecured to the upper surface of said frame, and foldable supporting-legsadapted when closed to oneupy a plane within the said frame, whereby allprojections are confined between the upper and lower surfaces of theframe, so that laid surfaces may lie fiat when the table is stored orbeing shipped.

Another novel feature of the invention the provision of legbraces formedof a springy material so fashioned that portions of said braces willcooperate with corresponding portions upon the cover or top frame toautomatically lock the legs in either open or closed position.

The invention still further embraces means on the cover or its frame forengaging the free ends of the supportinglegs when the same are closed toslightly deflect said legs and create a friction between adjoining partsto more effectually secure the legs against acl of the presentinvention. Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the legs of the table foldedwithin the top of the same. Fig. 3 is a bot tom plan view, parts beingshown in section. Fig. l-is a cross-section on the line 00 m of Fig. 3,the table beings hown inverted; and Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are detail. views.

Referring more specificallv to the drawings, wherein like referencecharacters refer to corresponding parts in the several views, Adesignates a hollow frame of any desirable contour, that shown in thepresent instance being of rectangular formation.

B is a top which is p1 "erably formed of relatively thin tough material,such as leather board or fiberboard, cut to overlie the frame A andextend to the edges thereof, and 5 rep resents suitable tacks forsecuring the cover to the frame. To present a pleasing and serv iceablecovering for the top, I provide a sheet or layer of leather, felt, orother fabric cut to a size sufficient to extend completely acr as and befolded down over the sides of the frame A and be tacked thereto, wherebythe leather board or fiber board and its securing means are completelyhidden from View. The edges of the top are finished by a surroundingborder of molding or other convenient ma" terial C, secured by screws tothe frame A and braced by the metallic corner-pieces c. The frame A andits cover are reinforced by cross-pieces l), and intermediate one ofsaid cross-pieces and the adjacent parallel portion of the frame thelegs E are pivoted, two legs at opposite sides of the frame. Each legcar ries at its upper end a transverse bar (1, rigidly secured thereto,said bar being provided with longitudlnally-disposed recesses c in itsends for the reception of stub pintles or pins c loosely insertedtherein, whereby the traua verse bar and its leg may pivot upon saidpintles. These pintles are preferably of wood and are held in place byfrictional en+ gagement with suitable apertures in the frame A andcross-piece D, alined with the recesses in the transverse pivot-bar c.

If desirable, the pintles may be further held. in place by passing a pinthrough the cross piece D and the end of the pintle therein,

while the opposite pintle will of course be prevented from working fromits normal position by the finishing strip or molding C. The legs ofeach pair are respectively secured to their transverse pivot-bar at apoint adjacent to one end thereof, so as to lie side by side when foldedin the top of the table.

F represents braces for the legs, one brace being provided for each leg,designed more particularly to lock the legs in open position. Thesebraces are constructed of spring metal, offset at each end, as at f fthe portion f passing through an aperture in the leg and being preventedfrom withdrawal therefrom by upsetting a portion of the metal thereof,asat f The offset portion f is free to turn in the aperture in the leg inan obvious manner. The opposite portion f is loosely associated with awasher g, fitting in longitudinal slits g in the walls oflongitudinally-disposed grooves G, formed in the sides of thecross-pieces D and the parallel portions of the frame A, according tothe location of the legs. The offset portion f is capable of freemovement through the aperture in the washer 9, but cannot be whollyretracted therefrom by reason of the fact that the metal at the extremeend of said offset portion is upset, as at f. At the end of the grooveGr adjacent to the leg, for the brace of which said groove is provided,there is a transverse aperture H, so arranged that when the leg is inopen position the brace will automatically spring its offset portion finto said aperture, and thereby effectually lock the brace and legagainst accidental closing. When it is desired to fold the leg, however,it is simply necessary to withdraw said offset portion from saidaperture against the and washer may be slid along the groove Gr untilthe leg is folded. The end of the offset portion fcontacting with thebase of the groove G will bend the brace F, as shown in Fig. 3, toassist in retaining the leg in closed position, and the washer g willprevent the escapement of said olfset portion from its groove.

As a means for more effectually securing the leg in folded position Isecure to the top of the table blocks J, one arranged to lie betweeneach pair of legs, the sides of said blocks projecting slightly into thepath of movement of the legs and being rounded, so that as the legs areswung inwardly the edges of the same are engaged by the sides of theblocks and deflected or sprung so as to abut said sides and createsuflicient friction therebetween to secure the legs within the top frameuntil manually forced open.

From the above it will be seen that a foldable table is provided whichwill possess many desirable features not adherent in similar tables ofthe prior art, while at the same time the construction is simple in theextreme and devoid of complicated and objectionable structural parts.

It is to be understood that in any future interpretation as to the scopeof the invention the same is not to be limitedto any details of thespecial embodiment disclosed herein except in so far as any such may-bespecified in the hereto-appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. In afoldable stand, pivoted legs, braces for said legs each pivotedto a leg at its outer end and having an offset portion at its inner end,said braces being formed of springy material, and a washer looselymounted upon the oflfset portion of said brace arranged to travel inoppositely-arranged slits adjoining a guidegroove in the stand wherebythe offset portion may slide within the washer, said guide-grooveterminating in a transverse opening into which .offset portion arrangedto travel in a slit adjoining a guide-groove in the stand whereby theoffset portion may slide within the washer, said guide-grooveterminating in a transverse opening arranged for the reception of saidoffset portion of the brace when the same is in open position.

3. In a foldable stand, pivoted legs, braces for said legs each pivotedto a leg at its outer end and having an offset portion at its inner end,and a washer loosely mounted upon the ofiset portion arranged to travelin a guidegroove in the stand whereby the offset portion may slidewithin the washer, said guide-groove terminating in a transverse openingarranged for the reception of said offset portion of the brace to lockthe same in place.

4:. In a foldable stand, pivoted legs, blocks arranged adjacent to oneside of the legs when said legs are folded, and braces for the legs atthe side thereof opposite the blocks, said braces being formed ofspringy material and arranged when closed to force the legs intofrictional holding engagement with the blocks.

5. In a card-table, the combination with an open supporting-frame,having a plurality of cross-bars flush with the upper surface of theframe, legs secured to the frame, a top coextensive with the. frame andformed of fiber board fixedly secured to the frame and crossbars,'aflexible protective covering extending over the top and along the outerfaces of the frame, and a surrounding molding secured to the outer facesof the frame and against the edges of the covering, whereby the coveringis secured in place and the edges of the thin top protected.

6. A card-table consisting of an open frame rigid Crossbars Whose upperfaces are flush With the supporting-surface of the frame, a top formedof thin material such as fiber board having its edges secured to thesupportingsurfaee of the frame and resting on the crossbars, a flexibleprotective covering for the top extending over the edges thereof andsecured to the frame, and a surrounding molding se-

